Only a few feel the rain… others get wet!

This popular saying has lost its relevance and is very rarely used these days. This stands especially true with Brand Owners / Custodians who still find it difficult to overcome the traditional barriers and think out-of-box, when it matters most. Every season has its own brands running their campaigns. Summer has ice-cream and colas, winter has skin care and winter wear whereas monsoon somehow is the looked down season by many, when it comes OOH. This is more prominent in the metros where OOH (Out-of-home) advertising revenue falls drastically during rains.

Brands like automobile, water purifiers and paints do run their campaigns in monsoon but ignore OOH to a larger extent. Let us understand why this is so and how it can be overcome by visiting the top five concerns in the context.

The top 5 reasons why OOH is ignored during monsoon are traditional and age back to the beginning of advertising if not earlier.

1. Due to heavy rains people hardly look up for a brand communication while commuting from place to place.
2. The skies are mostly dark and cloudy affecting the visibility of outdoor media.
3. The print quality fades due to repeated washes by rain water.
4. The media is damaged (wear and tear) due to wind strength and rain.
5. Soil and dust settles on the media (especially transit media) hiding the brand communication.

As said earlier that the reasons to avoid OOH are mostly traditional, let us understand why, before we think of actually how and why to use OOH in Monsoon?

Today, what was traditional seldom stands true, as time has repeatedly changed its traditionalism. These changes in terms of OOH have largely gone unnoticed as the changes have been very-very gradual. It can hardly be termed as a revolution.

1. Today the mode of transportation has added wheels and when 80% of the road transporting community is in the comforts of their own or public transport 4 wheels, they enjoy ample time to look for brand communications. In fact this is the time when this whole big community is idle. Doing nothing. The best time for a brand to reach them.
2. Today the outdoor industry is very organized. Most outdoor are lit as compared to the age old outdoor that lived only in daylight. The rapid urbanization has made the roads wider. With the road widening the road side plantations though, have not been catered to well. Thumbs down for sure. But what it actually means is that the outdoor properties enjoy a more clear visibility due to no or less obstruction while enjoying larger visibility due to road widening.
3. With advancements in the print technology, the print quality has become weather resistant. Paints and colors that stand any weather conditions are readily available and cheap too.
4. The advancements in technology have had an equal impact on the print material and materials that can withstand any weather conditions or natural calamities are cheaply available and widely used too.
5. As said earlier that the OOH industry today is largely organized. This brings in competition too. OOH companies in their bid for survival and business excellence have changed their working methodologies and are now willing to take responsibility. OOH companies today offer and guarantee; guaranteed visibility and prompt replacements when need be at a nominal extra fee.

According to statistics, about a few years back the revenue drop in the OOH industry during monsoon was as high as 60-70 per cent as compared to a 20-30 per cent drop today. Thoughts are changing. People are getting aware. Now it is not risk anymore. It is becoming a need. All it needs is a good strategy.

The big or the best or the most important question is, how to do effective advertising during monsoon? This is the biggest challenge, because this is not the time we think. All we wish now is a long drive, or a trek or a hot chai and pakoda. We are in Mood. No mood to think but enjoy and make merry. Monsoon hai bhai!!!

Yes… It’s the Mood. Your TG is also in Mood. Enhance it. Capitalize It. Get into their mood and spice it up with your ads. Lets understand how?

1. Use fresh elegant colors – When everything around us is looking so fresh and beautiful, when every color is blossoming newness to the surroundings, don’t publish a stale color on your property and stink publicly.
2. Spring up the mood – Design campaigns that are moody. Campaigns that bring a sly smile on the TGs faces. Serious advertising can wait for the winters.
3. Make use of Monsoon – Design some monsoon schemes or address the campaigns as monsoon specials. This surely attracts the eyeball.
4. Address the challenges – As monsoon poses serious challenges in day-to-day life of many. Address campaigns on how your product / service cater and helps overcome the challenge whenever it applies most. For example – A Tyre Brand will surely advertise an anti skid ad, but a slipper brand doing that will surely catch the eyeballs. Similarly a shampoo brand saying “Wet your hair in rain… Dandruff is our problem” can surely ring the bells.
5. Most Important – Stick to basic principles of advertising. Talk straight to your TG, establish your advantage and create an image. Follow your brand guidelines and manual. If you do not have it. First rush to a good Strategy and Design Agency and get it in place.

So, is your monsoon plan ready?

Don’t forget to add OOH in the plan.

If you need help, get in touch with the most trusted partners of over 100+ Brands, who live assured, be it rains or no rains. Do visit www.promising.co.in